


Follow the Rule

by TomatoBookworm



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, F/M, Fluff, Mentioned Fitz/Daisy, Mentioned past Hunter/Bobbi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:01:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27283846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TomatoBookworm/pseuds/TomatoBookworm
Summary: Jemma Simmons loves rules. They make her feel nice. In the end, Hunter agrees.
Relationships: Lance Hunter/Jemma Simmons
Comments: 9
Kudos: 11





	Follow the Rule

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LibbyWeasley](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LibbyWeasley/gifts).



> \- Written for the Final Mission Rare Pair Exchange for the great LibbyWeasley. Prompt: And then they were roommates! :) 
> 
> \- This is probably somewhere between a high M and a low E, rated up just in case.
> 
> \- Thank you Al for taking the time to read and stop me from getting into the depth of writer’s despair! :)

Jemma leaned back against the wall and moaned. She ought to be quiet. The hotel placed all the wedding guests on the same floor. Fitz’s mother or Dr. Weaver could be right next door. At least most of her friends already went home since Fitz and Daisy decided to get married here in town. Jemma splurged for a room because she expected her duties as the maid of the honor would have her dropping straight into a bed at the end of the evening. Her preparations didn’t account for this. She wasn’t in bed, and her room was definitely not getting any use tonight. 

Hunter shifted his hips, the new angle pinning her further up the wall and hitting exactly the right spot. Jemma keened. Her dress was getting rumpled, but she couldn’t worry about it right now. She had always known Hunter was a man of many talents. How did she never realize that he was amazing at sex? She needed to investigate further, thoroughly. 

Unfortunately Hunter’s talents didn’t include mind-reading, since he paused and grinned at her. 

“Didn’t expect you to be so loud.”

“Hunter!” She had been on the edge of orgasm and didn’t appreciate the interruption. If he still had his tuxedo jacket on, she would have grabbed it with both hands. She gripped Hunter’s bare shoulders instead. His muscles felt amazing under her hands. “Don’t stop!”

“Not even a please,” Hunter tsked. “What happened to your manners, Dr. Simmons?”

It was difficult to glare at someone buried deep inside her, but Jemma managed, “If you are only going to tease me, I can leave and go back to my room right now.”

“And risk running into other wedding guests?” Hunter’s palm moved over the still intact bodice of her dress, and Jemma shivered as his finger brushed over a cloth-covered nipple. “You don’t want to be a cliche, sleeping with the best man. That has to break some sort of bridesmaid rule.”

“I won’t call this sleeping.” 

Jemma’s own hands moved over Hunter’s warm skin. He had stripped out of his formalwear earlier before he rolled the condom on. She felt rather naughty, having a naked Hunter between her legs while her full skirt covered their joining. She could smooth out the wrinkles in her dress and walk away right now. No one else would know her knickers were on Hunter’s hotel room floor. Jemma loved rules. Maybe this time, she could bend them for some bad girl shenanigans. 

“Come on, Hunter,” Jemma leaned in and whispered next to his ear. “There is only one rule. You’re going to fuck me against the wall in my fancy dress until we both orgasm, and then we will never do it again. Can you do that?”

Hunter’s eyes darkened as he tilted his head to look at her. His hand went under her bodice and Jemma was certain he tore the fabric. She didn’t care. The sensation of his fingers on her bare skin was too phenomenal. 

“A one night stand? Sure,” he promised as he began thrusting again. “But you’re not going to be able to stand after this.”

That’s alright. If she couldn’t stand, she would simply have to ride him for the second round. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


Hunter woke up with an unfamiliar presence at his side. He stayed still, letting the memories from last night wash over him. Jemma Simmons. They’ve been casual friends for years, always hanging out in the same group but rarely spending time alone. He’d always known Jemma was smart, pretty, a bit socially awkward and fundamentally kind, but he couldn’t say that he’d ever harbored romantic feelings for her. Jemma was a friend, who somehow ended up in his bed. 

They didn’t even drink all that much. There were the toasts to Fitz and Daisy, then Jemma waved off the lovebirds and took over closing operations. Hunter didn’t quite understand Jemma’s detailed packing system for all the wedding decorations, but he could follow instructions and lift boxes. By the time he placed the last floral arrangement away in his car, the alcohol had long left their heads. They chatted as they walked back from the parking lot in the spring breeze. Hunter had meant to say good night when he noticed a curl escaping from her up-do and brushed it behind her ear without thinking. Next thing he knew, they were kissing. 

Did Jemma have a secret crush on him? Nah, she couldn’t lie to save her life. Hunter never got into espionage, but he did start his own private security business after leaving the military. If he could catch would-be kidnappers and corporate spies, he could tell if a science professor was watching him with heart eyes. Besides, Jemma was the one who said last night was a one time thing. 

The breathing pattern beside him changed. Hunter kept his eyes closed, letting Jemma decide how she wanted to handle things. He felt her stretch, then the mattress dipped as she rolled over to face him. 

Hunter opened his eyes and offered her a smile, “Morning. Did you sleep well?”

“Very well, thank you.” Jemma was smiling too, but she didn’t lean in for a kiss, and Hunter found himself surprisingly disappointed. “And you?”

“Pretty good.” He couldn’t resist adding, “Thank  _ you _ .”

Her cheeks turned pink, but there was no embarrassment in her voice, “Yes, I did do most of the work on the second time.” 

Hunter laughed. That had not been the reaction he was expecting, “Never thought I’d see you admit to breaking the rules this easily.”

“What rules? Oh!” Jemma’s brows drew together in a cute little frown. “First of all, there was only one rule, singular. Second, I didn’t break it. My dress was off after our initial encounter and we were in bed then.”

“Is that so?” Hunter propped himself up on his elbows, putting on his best smoldering eyes and showing off the muscles she liked to grab so much last night. This was dangerous territory, but he had never been afraid of danger. “Does that mean we can have sex again as long as you’re not in your fancy dress and up against a wall?”

Jemma’s eyes went to his exposed chest first before looking up, “Well…”

A shrill ring interrupted whatever she was going to say. Jemma got up to search for her phone. Hunter admired her naked bum as she bent down to retrieve her tiny clutch near the door, but politely averted his eyes when she turned back towards the bed. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable before she had a chance to reply to his question. 

Jemma sat down next to him as she kept talking on the mobile. Well, there was his answer. The tone of her voice clearly said sex and romance were far from her mind now. Hunter almost wanted to reach out and wrap her in a hug, whatever the problem was. He settled for pulling the blankets up for her. The air didn’t feel particularly cold to him, but Jemma’s hands were bloody freezing last night and there were tiny goosebumps on her skin now. 

When Jemma finally hung up the phone, her face was set in a determined expression that usually said someone was about to get an earful. 

“I am sorry, something has come up and I need to make some phone calls—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hunter interrupted before she could finish. No need to subject either of them to an awkward conversation. “I’m going to take a shower. Do whatever you need.” 

Hunter took his time under the water. He was a little disappointed, though not surprised. One night of fantastic sex wasn’t worth screwing a friendship over. It had been years since his last serious romantic relationship, and lord knew it took him and Bobbi forever to become friends again. Everyone witnessed that entire debacle. No, Jemma was too smart to get involved with him. She would be gone by the time he got out of the bathroom. Next time they see each other, they would be fully dressed and in a group. They would be fine. 

Jemma contradicted his expectations yet again. She was still on his bed with the mobile when he came out, although she had put on clothes. Most of the wrinkles on her dress were smoothed out, the small tear on the bodice wasn’t too noticeable, and her panties had disappeared from his floor. Jemma didn’t look like she had spent the previous night screaming with him between her legs, but she did look slightly desperate, and she ended the call with a huff. 

“Ugh!” Jemma noticed Hunter as she put the phone down. “Sorry, I got caught up in making calls. Let me give you your room back.”

“Hang on,” Hunter said. “What’s the problem?”

“There was a fire at my apartment building last night,” Jemma sighed. “Apparently the people above my unit never learned to clear the dryer lint. The whole place is off limits while the fire department assesses the damage. It could take weeks. I am lucky that I was here last night, but now I need to find another place with reasonable rates. This hotel is too expensive for an extended stay.”

“Can’t you crash with someone? Pretty sure any of our friends will take you in a heartbeat.”

“Normally my first call would be to Fitz and Daisy” —Jemma pointed at her bridesmaid dress— “but they’re going on their honeymoon. Mack and Elena became foster parents a month ago...”

“And you don’t want to intrude while they bond with Flint,” Hunter finished her sentence. “Still can’t believe we have friends that are parents. What about Bobbi? Isn’t she leaving on a sabbatical soon?”

“Bobbi already arranged a sublease for her place. I won’t want her to break it for me. Piper’s apartment is too small for a guest. I suppose I can ask Enoch. He’s a decent companion—”

“When you and him and Fitz went on that research trip? Figuring out time travel or whatever science thing it was?” Hunter shook his head. “Everyone could tell you were lying when you said it went fine. I’ve gone camping with Enoch before. He’s a good friend, but he’s either a robot or a moonlighting bartender. The man doesn’t sleep at night.”

“Yes, living with Enoch will require some schedule adjustments,” Jemma admitted. “But I haven’t even asked him yet.”

“You can ask me,” Hunter pointed out. “I have a spare room and no roommate. Fitz left some of his old furniture behind when he and Daisy bought their place. Buy some new sheets and you can move right in.” 

Jemma’s eyes moved to the rumpled bed. Ah yes, she didn’t get a chance to give him the we’re-better-as-friends speech yet. He could save her the trouble. 

“And I’ll never know what those sheets look like.” Hunter gave her his most harmless smile. “I have rules too, you know, and one of them is to never sleep with a roommate.”

“I am sure that worked out well with Fitz,” Jemma hesitated, searching his face. “Strictly platonic friends and roommates then?”

Hunter held out his hand, “Come on roomie, let’s get you to your new home.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Living with Hunter was unexpected, but not unpleasant. As an ex-military man, Hunter kept everything in his quarters neat and tidy. Contrary to what her research assistants believed, Jemma had no problem adapting to an organizational system different from her own, as long as the internal logic was consistent. Jemma adjusted to her new apartment and roommate easily, not to mention Hunter had been steadily adjusting things for her comfort as well. 

Case in point, the kitchen. Jemma wasn’t planning on making any changes since her stay was a temporary one, and work kept her too busy to cook on most nights anyway. Hunter shook his head when he realized her only additions to the fridge were beer and sriracha sauce, then he dragged her out shopping the very next weekend. 

Jemma pressed the button on their new electric kettle. She didn’t mind boiling water on the stove, but it was nice to have hot water at the proper temperature ready at a moment’s notice. Carrying two steaming cups of tea out from the kitchen, she found Hunter serving pizza in their living room. 

“Here’s your slice with extra tomatoes.” Hunter placed a plate down on the coffee table. “Try not to steal too much from my half this time.”

“Please, pineapple and ham do not belong together,” Jemma said as she passed him the mug with a Liverpool football logo. They both knew she would end up eating two slices from his side and he would steal from her half in return. That’s why she ordered extra tomatoes. Hunter liked fruit on his pizza. 

“Said the woman who made tea for pizza night,” Hunter shot back. He took a deep drink from his mug. “Ah, now that’s a perfect cuppa. Thank you.”

“You are quite welcome.” Jemma settled down on the couch next to him. Hunter might tease and complain, but he was really a sweetheart underneath that gruff exterior. 

Hunter turned on the television. For a while, neither of them said anything as they were too busy eating, then the commentary started. 

“Oh come on, that’s not enough for a signature bake,” Hunter scoffed at the screen. “Chocolate biscuits? A five year old can do that.”

“I am not certain a child would be competing in a nationally televised baking competition,” Jemma said. “But yes, that does seem a bit plain. I would at least add a hint of mint, or orange.”

“Chocolate and orange, now that’s a classic combination.” Hunter contemplated his plate. “Do you think…?”

“We are not ordering orange on pizza next time,” Jemma nipped the idea in the bud. “We can bake some biscuits this weekend though.”

Beside her, Hunter hummed, “No plans with our other friends? Aren’t you sick of spending time with me yet?”

“No.” Another happy discovery through living with Hunter, Jemma enjoyed his company. Of course they were friends before and she always liked him as part of the group, but now she relished having Hunter to herself. She hoped the same held true for him. “Are you tired of me?”

“Nah,” Hunter chuckled. “As long as you stop stealing my pizza.”

Jemma leaned forward from the couch, took a slice of pizza, and deliberately licked around a piece of pineapple before biting it. “Mmm, yummy.”

Hunter didn’t respond immediately. When Jemma turned to look at him, he snapped his eyes away from her mouth. A little shot of thrill went through her. Their night together at Fitz and Daisy’s wedding was wonderful. The next morning, Jemma was about to suggest they brush their teeth and explore their sexual compatibility further, then the phone call about her apartment intervened. Hunter had offered his place readily, along with his no sex with roommates rule, which must mean she had misread his intentions. It made sense. Jemma remembered how awkward it was for everyone when Hunter and Bobbi broke up. Hunter and Bobbi were friends again and long over each other now, but he wouldn’t want to pursue a romantic relationship within their social group. Jemma understood and respected his decision. Her body disagreed. 

Hunter had more control of his body than she did, or maybe he was better at following rules. He grabbed a slice of pizza from her side and sat back against the couch, keeping a safe distance between their bodies. His smile was friendly, and Jemma had to remind herself not to read more into it. 

“Now we’re even.”

Jemma bit down her disappointment. If they were going to keep scores, she would much rather do it over the number of orgasms than pizza slices, but she wasn’t going to hit on her roommate unless he gave her a signal. “Yes. Yes, we are.”

* * *

  
  
  


The summer night air was warm. Hunter noticed Jemma still shivered when they got out of the car. Without thinking, he took off his hoodie and offered it to her. 

Jemma hesitated to take it, “Won’t you be cold too?”

“I’m fine,” Hunter said as he grabbed his backpack from the car. “Plus I’m the one who dragged you out here without giving you time to prepare.”

“All I said was it would be nice if I could have brought a telescope.” He couldn’t see Jemma rolling her eyes after the car’s headlight turned off in the dark, but he heard her zip up his hoodie along with the smile in her voice. “Thank you. For suggesting this in the first place. I would have never done it on my own.”

“What, decide at midnight to find an empty field for watching the meteor shower?” Hunter chuckled. They were falling asleep on the couch, comfortable and content after another one of their regular pizza nights, when Jemma mumbled something about wanting to see the stars. He had pulled off the blanket covering them before he even realized what he was doing. “The hour-long drive to the middle of nowhere wasn’t your usual style?”

“The satellite system wasn’t much of a guide when we couldn’t even see the road,” Jemma said. “But this is nice.” She paused in her walk to look up at the sky. “Everything is clear here.”

“Yeah, but don’t stand there, or your neck will cramp.” Hunter flashed the electric torch in front of them. “Come on.”

They found an even grassy patch in the middle of the field. Hunter opened his backpack and laid down a picnic blanket. 

“Never say I can’t prepare on five minutes notice, my lady.”

Jemma sat down and tugged on his hand. He joined her on the blanket, pulling out two more thermos from his backpack. 

“You made tea,” Jemma sighed in contentment after the first sip. “You are the best, Hunter.”

Something in her voice, the conviction in the simple statement, made his heart swell. No one had ever said it quite like that before, like he could brighten their whole world with a simple gesture. He would happily spend the rest of his life taking care of Jemma and hearing her little satisfied noises. Hell, he didn’t even mean that sexually. Although he wouldn’t mind having Jemma moan in his lap, he would be just as content listening to her mumble words of endearment to him. 

Stop. No more daydream. Women picked him up for a single night of hot sex, not domestic cuddling on the couch. At least Jemma wanted to stay friends even after the sex. 

“Vega is bright tonight,” Hunter said instead, looking up into the dark. “Which one is your favorite?”

Jemma didn’t answer. Hunter turned and was startled to find Jemma much closer than he realized. He couldn’t see the hazel specks in her eyes given the darkness, but he could feel her breath brushing against his face. 

“I didn’t realize you know the stars.”

“Thanks to the military. I can't exactly navigate the wilds without learning how to read the sky.” He had been brittle and on edge when he first left the service, probably one of the reasons why his relationship with Bobbi failed. Now with time past, he could acknowledge the things he learned in combat, both good and bad. “What got you interested in astronomy?”

They talked under the night sky. In the near darkness, it was easier to tell Jemma stories about his time in the military. She never judged or prodded, only listened, yet somehow Hunter was certain Jemma was seeing through his defenses by the starlight, noting the marks left by his experience, years later. In turn, Jemma told him about her surgery as a child and stargazing with her father. Mr. Simmons sounded like a good man, even though he and his wife must have their hands full with a prodigy. Jemma admitted it took her some time to figure out that shoving scary thoughts into the music box was probably a way to deal with monsters under the bed at age three, not the method to deal with all stress into adulthood. 

“Jesus, Jemma.” Hunter shook his head. “Most people don’t even remember things from that age.” 

“I was a precocious child with advanced comprehension and recall, though obviously I didn’t quite have the proper understanding of everything at three years old,” Jemma said. “I am much better about expressing my emotions now, I think.”

“You think?” Hunter asked. Jemma loved asking questions about the world around her, but it was rare for her to express doubts in her own abilities. “What feelings are you worried about repressing now?” 

“It’s not only about me,” Jemma said quietly. “I don’t want to say something and make the other person uncomfortable.”

“You don’t become the youngest tenured professor in school history because you’re shy about telling people off.” Hunter might not be an academic, but considering half of their friends taught at the same university, he had picked up enough to understand Jemma’s achievement. Not that he didn’t think she was brilliant to begin with. “So you’re not suppressing yourself at work. Something personal then?”

Jemma hesitated, “I think I may be developing romantic feelings for someone, but he’s not interested.”

Hunter took a sharp breath. If he knew what was good for him, he should tell Jemma to forget about this other bloke. Anyone who couldn’t appreciate the wonder of Jemma Simmons wasn’t worth her time. Oh and hey, if she wanted to shag out her disappointments, she had a man sleeping in the next room who’d proven he was good at worshipping her body. 

Instead, Hunter opened his big old mouth, “How do you know he’s not interested?”

“He said he will never sleep with me.”

“Maybe he’s asexual. Doesn’t mean he’s not interested in you romantically.” Oh lord, this was going worse than the time he bought his then girlfriend’s ex a plane ticket from Phoenix. Why was he helping the competition? Right, Jemma disqualified him from the race at the start. Not that Jemma was some sort of prize to be won. He only wanted to see her smile as his reward. “Point is, you won’t know until you ask.” 

He could feel Jemma’s glance on him in the dark, “You think I should take the chance? It might ruin our friendship.”

“What’s life without a little risk?” Hunter was risking his own heart now, and she didn’t even know she had it. He could take a few cracks if that meant seeing her happy. “You’re an amazing woman, Jemma. The bloke who catches your eye should be thanking his lucky stars.”

Jemma’s hand found his own on the blanket, “Is that so?”

“Bloody hell, Jemma, why is your hand so cold?” He thought his hoodie and tea would keep her warm. “I should have brought an extra blanket. Come on love, let’s get you home—”

A pair of lips crashed into him, cutting his words off. Hunter’s body responded before his brain caught up, leaning hungrily into the kiss. It had been months since he last tasted Jemma, and he needed to recalibrate, make sure he didn’t imagine her sweetness. She moved closer and his free hand automatically went around her waist, pulling her towards him. Jemma’s tits pressed against him and Hunter groaned. He barely had a chance to appreciate them last time with her dress in the way. Now he wanted to give them some proper attention. Before he could do so, Jemma’s other hand caressed his cheek, and her freezing fingers snapped him back to attention. 

“Jemma?” Hunter forced himself to part from her lips long enough to ask the question. “What’s going on?”

“I thought it’s obvious?” Jemma sounded uncertain. “I am taking a chance. Did I ruin things?”

“Wait, you were talking about me?” Hunter might not be a child prodigy with advanced memory skills, but he was pretty sure he would remember something this important. “When did I ever say I won’t sleep with you? Because that is not true. At all.”

“You said your rule is to never sleep with a roommate.” 

“I didn’t want you to think I was offering my place in exchange for anything!” Hunter put a little space between them. Jemma whimpered at the loss of contact. He had to sort things out first, then he would go back to lavishing attention on Jemma’s tits. “Let’s be clear, you want to sleep with me.”

“Yes.”

“And beyond sleeping?” She did mention romantic feelings, didn’t she?

“I want to keep going as we were,” Jemma said. “Regular pizza nights with Bake-Off on the telly. Making each other tea. Sharing blankets and hoodies when we get cold, although maybe now we can find other ways of keeping warm.” 

Hunter burst out laughing. How did she manage to describe his domestic and sexual fantasies together in one go? He pulled her back into his embrace again, feeling her securely tucked into his arms. 

“I want that too.” The two of them together, exploring what a romantic relationship would be like. “We’re breaking all the rules then?”

“Considering you tore the bodice, I think it’s safe to say we will never have sex against the wall with me in that dress again,” Jemma answered with a teasing tilt to her voice. “So no, we are not breaking my rule. As for yours, my apartment is almost ready for me to move back in. How do you feel about losing a roommate but getting a girlfriend that comes over all the time?”

“As long as you’re coming all over me, I’m good.” Hunter’s hands moved to Jemma’s breasts. He hadn’t forgotten about his silent promise. “Do we have any rules about public indecency?”

“No.” Jemma arched into his touch, and her own fingers began exploring as well. “Let’s agree on one final rule.” 

“What’s that?”

“We will say what we really want, not what we think the other person wants to hear,” Jemma moaned mid-sentence. “We could have been doing this weeks ago if we talked.”

“Be honest with each other? I like that rule.” Hunter’s hands traveled further down. “And right now, I’m telling you I really, really want to make you come.”

“Good.” Jemma leaned into him for a sweet kiss. “This is why I like rules, they make me feel nice.”

  
  



End file.
